Hailing from San Francisco’s Bay Area, the highly regarded Oi! band Ultra Sect—renowned for their infectious yet gritty, socially conscious street punk anthems—have released a superb new compilation LP entitled Lead Us to Glory. Now available more widely, Lead Us to Glory rounds up older material from their 2022 mini-album Echoes From The Past, the 2023 EP Martyris Victoria, and tracks from their 2020 split with Vis Vires. To sweeten the package, they threw in a raw live take of the 4 Skins classic “Evil” plus a fired-up live version of their own anthem “Turn Up The Oi!”.
Clocking in at twelve tracks (ten studio cuts and two live ones), this record serves as a strong overview of the band’s output since around 2020. Ultra Sect clearly believe in quality over quantity—they don’t flood the scene with releases, but when they drop something, it usually hits hard. Their sound sits firmly in Oi! territory but draws heavily from bovver beat and classic rock’n’roll energy. You get sharp guitar leads, driving mid-tempo rhythms that occasionally kick into higher gear, catchy group choruses, and a polished-yet-still-street production that feels fresh without losing its edge.
The record opens strong with “Public Enemy,” a gritty call to settle scores that sets a combative tone right away. “Ride The Storm” brings war-like urgency, while the title track “Lead Us to Glory” rallies against tyranny with an anthemic feel. Side A keeps the momentum high through “Nation On Fire,” “No Allegiance,” and closes on the working-class pride of “Bread & Roses.”
“Mad Dog” is a total standout—a perfect blend of Oi!, bovver rock, and rock’n’roll with killer guitar solos, strong vocals, and shout-along choruses that make it hard to stand still. The energy keeps climbing through “The Strong Survive” and “Blood Laws” before peaking (for me, at least) on “Conquer And Divide”.
If you’ve ever written off Oi! as too repetitive, too aggressive, or lacking in musicianship, this is the record to change your mind. Ultra Sect honor the roots of the genre while giving it a slightly more modern, melodic twist thanks to their twin-guitar setup and tighter arrangements.
Bottom line: Lead Us to Glory is a confident, high-quality compilation that stands on its own as an excellent listen from start to finish. It’s one of those records where your “favorite three tracks” might change every time you spin it. Highly recommended for anyone into real street-level Oi!
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